The present invention relates to airfoil kites.
The present invention more particularly relates to flexible fabric kites, that are inflatable by ram air to assume an airfoil shape.
The present invention further relates to a framed airfoil kite, that can perform all of the standard flying maneuvers of a prior art two control line, i.e., dual line, air ram flying structure, coupled with all of the standard flying maneuvers of a prior art four control line, i.e., quad line, flying device, as well as, a variety of intermediate maneuvers that neither prior art kite device can perform at the present time.
The present invention additionally relates to a framed airfoil kite, which can be readily manufactured at reasonable costs from available materials.
The present invention also relates to a framed airfoil kite, having control handles that are strong, comfortable, and so shaped, as to incorporate a sliding pivot point, that is accomplished by slightly modifying hand pressure from a finger grip position, to a hand grip position, that will produce a similar sliding pivot point response that allows the airfoil kite to have, e.g., a turning radius, limited only by its wing span.
The present invention still further relates to a framed airfoil kite, that is quick and easy to assemble and disassemble, and is extremely compact, compared to any prior art framed airfoil kite flying device of comparable size.
The present invention can be made to execute various maneuvers, e.g., turning, climbing or diving, uniquely, by means of control lines attached to framed end areas of the kite.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,458, to Jones, et al., shows a flexible fabric kite structure that can be inflated during flight to an airfoil configuration. An elongated, slot-like opening, in the leading edge of the kite structure, permits ram air to enter into the kite envelope to inflate it to an airfoil-shaped configuration. In order to rigidify the kite along its leading edge, the inflatable kite structure has a flexible spar running along its full width, i.e., span dimension.
The spar provides transverse rigidity that assists the kite in maintaining the airfoil configuration along a substantial percentage of the kite leading edge. Control lines are attached to opposite ends of the spar for suspending the kite in the windy atmosphere. The trailing edge of the kite is non-supported, and subject to the wind forces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,272, to Hadzicki, discloses a fabric kite having a single flexible spar running along its leading edge. The kite has two V-shaped sail sections that rail the spar. Each V-shaped section is separately controlled by two control lines connected, respectively, to the spar and to the trailing edge of the V-shaped sail section. The Hadzicki kite has four control lines arranged in pairs. Each pair of control lines is attached to a separate control handle that is held in one hand of the person flying the kite. One control handle can be manipulated by the person's left hand, while the other control handle can be manipulated by the person's right hand.
In each of the above-noted patented structures, the kite is provided with a single flexible spar running along the leading edge of the kite structure. These prior art structures, clearly do not possess the unique features of the present invention, which will be described in greater detail herein.